I'll admit, I'm as glued to my phone as any teenager. However, what I choose to look at is entirely up to me and has the ability to completely change my mood. I have all of the basic accounts that could be found on 90% of the teenage population's phones.

Below are my assessments of each of my top apps. These are completely opinion-based and may not be true for every user.

Here is a breakdown of some top social media apps and what purpose they serve to me and others:

Snapchat- This is my main communication source with most friends because I evidently have none of their phone numbers, and no one seems to want to talk on the phone. I have come to strongly dislike the "streaks" feature because they seem to serve no purpose. Sending pictures of a wall or ceiling have no use, but it is found in most of the snaps I open. Why have a "streak" if you can't even show your face or have a conversation?

Rating: 7/10

Instagram- I honestly don't completely know how to feel about this app. One side is art based and full of creativity, but the other seems to be a contest. Usually, my feed is full of people subtly bragging about their life. I'm not sure if they do this intentionally, but based on my experiences, they usually do. This app also consumes you into post analytics. No person really wants to admit it, but we all base a little bit of our self worth on the number of likes per post and followers displayed in bold at the top of our page. This is completely absurd, seeing as some of the nicest people I know have very few followers because they don't post flashy or provocative things. They post what makes them happy and stay true to themselves, without caring for the approval of others

Rating: 6/10

Facebook: There is basically one way to describe it: Instagram for adults. Again, most of the same things apply, so refer back to Instagram. I honestly only downloaded Facebook to see what embarrassing photos my family had posted and to save large event pictures from other parents. I can't stand to look at my feed most days because it is full of political propaganda and self-promotion. It's honestly disheartening to scroll through. If you have any integrity or self-respect, you most likely won't after. I seem to grow angrier every time I finish reading a few posts and force myself to close out of the app. Honestly, I spend most of my time on the app these days looking through closet clean-outs, and spending too much money.

Rating: 5/10

TikTok- This app didn't have the usual debut. At first, it was embarrassing to watch, but as more celebrities transferred on to the app, so did much of today's youth. I was in my childhood prime as the Vine app was at-large. I spent HOURS watching compilations and following the "cute boys" aka "Magcon." (It was truly a dark time for all of us.) However, these two will never compare to the level of comedy, but it's a close second. After Vine was removed from app stores in 2016, most of its loyal viewers moved to Musical.ly or YouTube. I tried both, and I was not a fan of Musical.ly at all. It was full of cringy lip-syncing and none of the comedy Vine displayed. I'm guessing that was the general consensus because it morphed into the app TikTok. This is definitely where I spend most of my time. It definitely gives off Vine vibes because my feed is full of comedy, singing, dancing, baking, and workout videos, which completely allows the viewer to generate a feed full of their interests. My feed features a lot of raw comedy, just as Vine did.

Rating: 9/10

Twitter- I don't have much to say about this one, except that it is not for the faint of heart. Not raunchy or gorey, but you'll need to have some thick skin. Twitter is a great place for news, but mostly pure, raw comedy. There is absolutely no filter to some of the tweets that come through, but not always in a bad way. I usually find myself physically laughing at loud as I scroll through the feed. The other side keeps users honest. If there is a scandal or facts displayed wrong, there will be no end insight. I will say that Twitter users seem to be some of the more aggressive users, but nonetheless, I look to this app for pure enjoyment.

Rating: 8/10

VSCO- Let me be the first to say, I have absolutely no idea the purpose of this app. I downloaded because two of my closest friends raved about it, and I figured it would be cool to see what they shared. Boy was I wrong. I literally have no idea what I am doing when I open the app. I really don't understand their preset filters and color balances, and that's coming from a girl who has spent the last four years in a yearbook room. Every "feature" seems to be locked, unless you want to pay $20 a year. Honestly, it seems like a boujee Instagram and a place for teens to post things they don't want family to see.

Rating: 3/10

Through this break, I have discovered that no post or picture on your phone can compare to a real life moment. So, put your phones down, go outside, and actually TALK to your family at dinner. Make meaningful connections face-to-face, not through a picture of your wall.